How to Determine the Best Cover Crops for Your Region

If you're looking to get into cover crops but aren't sure which ones to use, you're in the right place. Here we'll discuss how to determine the best cover crops for your region, as well as some practical tips for getting started cover cropping.

pearl millet and sudangrass garden cover crop — Pearl millet and sudangrass cover crop grown in summer as a quick source of carbon. These were frequently chopped and dropped to provide mulch and build soil.

Unsure what cover crops are or why they're used? Check out our beginner's guide to cover crops first, and then come back when you're ready to pick some specific covers for your location.

Do Cover Crops Work Anywhere?

Just like herbs, fruits, and veggies, there are some cover crops which will grow in your region and some that won't. Each cover crop has specific needs and tolerances, so it's important to match your cover crops to your climate.

Learning about what each cover requires to thrive, as well as their benefits and uses will help to inform your choice of which covers you want to grow.

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Can You Grow Cover Crops During Any Season?

Many cover crops are short-lived annuals which are planted each season, and should be aligned with the temperatures and conditions that season will present.

What Cover Crops Will Work in Your Region

The absolute easiest way to determine which cover crops will thrive in your region is to try a mix!

Grab a diverse cover crop mix like this for the warm season, or this for overwintering and scatter them around liberally.

By broadcasting a cover crop mixture, covering them with a bit of compost or mulch (optional), and watering daily for a week or two - you'll quickly find out which ones will grow and thrive and which just aren't going to work for you.

Be sure to try this in every season, and observe which covers grow best at which times of the year - and which simply won't grow in your climate.

Once you've done some trials and made some observations, you'll be much more informed for buying larger quantities of specific covers that you choose, and applying them at the correct times of the year for your region.

If you'd rather dig into various climate types and the covers that may work there, keep reading.